{"id":12822,"date":"2022-08-29T12:29:43","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T16:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediakit.nurse.com\/?p=12576"},"modified":"2023-09-21T15:52:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T19:52:51","slug":"home-health-nurse-retention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nurse.com\/solutions\/blog\/home-health-nurse-retention","title":{"rendered":"Home Health Nurse Retention Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many Americans 65 and older plan to\u00a0stay at home<\/a> for as long as possible. Given that most of these Americans will, at some point, be unable to care for themselves without assistance, the need for home health nurses is expected to rise significantly in the years ahead. While demand for home health nurses is increasing, employee turnover rates in the healthcare industry remain high.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2020, the national average turnover rate<\/a> for all home health employees was 22.18%. With shortages across the industry, many home health agencies are scrambling to find and hire enough staff, providing home health nurses with the freedom to leave an unsatisfying job without fear of unemployment.<\/p>\n

If home healthcare organizations want to compete in the current \u2014 and future \u2014 job market and boost retention, they must focus on improving job satisfaction for their home health nurses through comprehensive nursing retention programs.<\/p>\n

Tips for Improving Home Health Nurse Retention<\/h2>\n

Improve Your Onboarding Process<\/h3>\n

Onboarding\u00a0is one of the first and best opportunities to improve home health nurse retention<\/a>. Instead of implementing lengthy, one-size-fits-all onboarding programs, organizations should strive to personalize the process as best as possible.<\/p>\n

Employee assessments\u00a0help administrators determine a new nurse\u2019s existing skill set as well as any areas of improvement. This information can then be leveraged to create\u00a0tailored learning plans\u00a0that fill knowledge gaps and help new home health nurses meet productivity standards and thrive in their position, all while avoiding repetitive, irrelevant information.<\/p>\n

Recognize Your Employees<\/h3>\n

One of the easiest ways to confront retention challenges in home health nursing<\/a> is through recognition. Applauding employees for their hard work and acknowledging their successes helps them feel more engaged and appreciated, increasing their investment in their organization.<\/p>\n

In a time when few facilities have the resources to provide financial incentives, finding other ways to acknowledge employee contributions is important. Seemingly simple gestures, like thank-you cards, personal notes, or even shout-outs at team meetings, can all help nurses feel valued. According to research by Gallup, it doesn\u2019t matter what form the acknowledgment takes \u2014 what matters most is that it is\u00a0authentic, honest, and individualized<\/a>. Some of the most memorable forms of\u00a0recognition<\/a>\u00a0include:<\/p>\n